The present invention is directed towards a system for preventing slippage between vehicle wheels driven by a differential. More particularly, the present invention is directed towards such a system which can easily be installed and retrofitted as special equipment in existing standard vehicles.
Under normal conditions, opposite wheels of the vehicle will rotate at substantially the same speed although small variations will occur when the vehicle is rounding a curve. When one of the wheels loses traction with the road (e.g., because the surface is slippery or because the wheel temporarily leaves the ground), the speed of rotation of that wheel will increase since the drive to the wheel is constant but the resistance to the rotation of the wheel is reduced. The slippage of the wheel is undesirable both because it reduces traction between the vehicle and the road, which is dangerous, and because it reduces the amount of propulsion available to move the vehicle.
In the past, mechanical differential locks have been used to prevent slippage between opposite wheels. While these devices have generally been effective in preventing such slippage, they are mechanically complex and must be installed with the original equipment in the vehicle.